Q: What properties do your forms

Introduction exhibit?
Atom Photo or
other information Carbon is one of the most
can be placed A: All carbon allotropes are solids
abundant elements in the
here under normal conditions. My
universe, although it was not
forms are typically chemically
always recognized as an
resistant and require high
element. Carbon occurs
temperatures to react, even with
naturally in many forms
oxygen. I have an affinity to bond
including diamond and graphite.
with other small atoms and
therefore I can form up to 10
million different compounds.
Q: When were you discovered?

A: I have been around since

prehistoric times, but I was not Q: Any other important
 recognized as an element until contributions?
the 17th century when the
A: I am everywhere! Carbon is
Carbon definition of “elements” was
essential to all living systems and
refined by Robert Boyle. Since I
without it, life would not exists as
6 take many forms, people did not
we know it.
recognize me as the same

C element in diamond and

graphite for some time. It used
to be believed that graphite was
a form of lead, not carbon. As Summary
12.011 recently as 1985, a new form of
In my interview with Carbon, an
my element was discovered.
element on the periodic table, I
 The new form is called
discovered that life is dependant
“buckministerfullerene”.
on its existence. It is categorized as
a non-metal and is placed in the 4A
since it has 4 electrons in its outer
Q: Interesting. Do you have any shell, available for bonding.
other uses?
There are a variety of useful forms
A: I do! One of my isotopes (C14) of carbon and it has been known
plays an important part in since prehistoric times. Carbon has
“dating” artifacts and fossils, due limitless uses and forms, since it
to its predictable half-life. can bond with any number of other
Diamond is one of the hardest elements to create new
substances with a high melting compounds.
point and index of refraction
which lend it to be one of the
most valuable substances on
Earth.